You’re here. You’re standing at the edge of the proverbial cliff and thinking about jumping into business for yourself. Your palms are a little sweaty. You might even be a little scared. OK… your palms are dripping and your heart is beating a million times per minute! You have a flurry of questions racing through your mind! Can I do this? Is now the right time? How will I run a business… and a family?!

Your initial response may be to walk back from the edge and tuck your dream away a little longer. But you know deep down that’s not the right response.

Yes, you can do it! Yes, you can run a business and a family! The best time is now!

Great! Now what? Here are simple steps to take the scariness out of it. You got this!

Define the problem you want to solve

There is only one winning strategy. It is to carefully define the target market and direct a superior offering to that target market. 

— Philip Kotler

The first thing you have to determine is who you’re going to serve and what problem you’re going to solve. You might hear it professionally termed as your “target market.” Don’t make the mistake of believing "everyone" is your potential customer. If you prepare vegan meals, a steak lover is not your ideal customer. Decide who you’re going to serve and how you’re going to help them! Spend some time on this one. It will be the foundation of your business.

Put yourself out there

Share your idea with friends and family, and test drive your service with them. Think about partnering with someone in the same business you would like to pursue. Seek them out for counsel on how you should proceed. You may even work with them for a while to learn the business. The ability to earn while you learn is an opportunity not to be missed! As you grow you can share referrals and leads.

Build your Geek Squad

When it comes to running a business, there’s lots to do besides the service you offer. The good news is you don’t have to be good at all of it! Your squad can include a Bookkeeper/Accountant, Tax Professional, and Insurance Professional, to start. But take a deep breathe and don’t let that intimidate you—when you’re first getting started you don’t need to hire these people. However, it’s a great idea to make it your business to start seeking out these professionals early on and learn from them along the way. The goal is for you to figure out who you’re going to call BEFORE you need to call them. When you have the need, you already know who to call. You might even consider hiring a business coach—a professional who is not emotionally involved in your business that can help you avoid pitfalls, and help guide your direction. (P.S. There are lots of great coaches on Pepperlane).

Find your network

Starting a business is less scary when you have someone to hold hands with and jump off the cliff! Start connecting with other women entrepreneurs. Connect with people that will inspire you, motivate you, and hold you accountable. Be open to learning and making mistakes. Be willing to share your struggles and concerns. More good news: you can do all of this on the Pepperlane online community. If you build it correctly, your network will be able to connect you with resources to help you grow, both personally and financially. They’ll be able to point customers your way or connect you to good sources of new leads.

Today's blog post is brought to you by LuSundra Everett, Pepperlane Ambassador and tax professional specializing in home business. We hope it's just the boost of motivation you need to get going this year!

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Pepperlane empowers mothers to transform their ideas into businesses that fit into their lives. Our blog features company announcements, highlights member businesses, and offers tips that will help you start yours.